Nail pulling hammer



May 8, 1934. J. F. COWNIE NAIL PULLING HAMMER Filed June 20, 1931 iilxlnlviirlll.

INVENTOR. E EUWNIE A TTOR Y.

Patented May 8, 1934 rare 2 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a claw hammer that will quickly and easily pull nails, screws and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a claw hammer capable of pulling nails and the like, that does not unduly bend the nails during the pulling process.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a nail pulling hammer that successfully retains its handle without becoming loose.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a nail pulling hammer that does not slip during the nail pulling operation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a nail pulling hammer that is economical in manufactmie and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

1 is a side view of my complete invention integrally formed on a hammer and ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the upper portion of a hammer with my invention secured thereon but not integrally formed as a part of the hammer.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of my invention on a hammer.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of my invention designed to be secured as an accessory on hammers already manufactured.

As is well known, all claw hammers will successfully pull a nail a short distance out of the material into which it has previously been driven. However, from this point on, the claw hammer does not successfully function in that it completely fails to remove the nail, or if the nail is removed, it is so distorted and bent that it cannot be again used. The reason for this is that after the nail has been slightly lifted upwardly from the material in which it resided the claw hammer tends to pull the nail not in a longitudinal line meral to designate the usual hollow base member of a hammer. Integrally formed to one side of this portion 10 and extending transversely of the same is the usual hammer head 11. Integrall-y formed on the other side of the member 10 are the two usual curved claw members 12 and 13 respectively.

These claw members 12 and 13 extend outwardly and downwardly and spread apart from each other as they extend to receive the stem of a nail directly below the head of the nail, as is well known to all those familar with claw hammers. The numeral 14 designates the usual handle extending into the hollow base portion 10.

It is to such a claw hammer as I have above described, that I apply my invention. Directly on top of the member 10 and ever the top of the handle 14. I integrally place a block member 15. This block member, which is integrally formed on the top of the portion 10, is approximately the same width as the width of the member 10 of which it is a part. In order that it will successfully function at all times and not interfere with the removing of tacks or the starting of the removal of nails, I have caused it to extend from a point near the claw members 12 and 13, upwardly and forwardly, as shown in Fig. 1. By this arrangement, its greatest height will be at its forward end, which may extend in the form of a wall parallel with the longitudinal axis of the handle 14. It should here be noted that its upper forward marginal edge is rounded to eliminate any possibility of this portion marring the material during the nail pulling process. In order that the hammer will not slip during the pulling of a nail, screw, or like, I have caused the upper surface of the member 15 to be checked or serrated, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

The numeral 16 designates a screw loosely extending through the central portion of the member 15 and threaded into the handle 14, as shown in Fig. 2. By this arrangement, the upper portion of the handle 14 will not only be spread in order to tightly engage the inside of the member 10, but will be rigidly drawn and secured to the metal portion of the hammer to eliminate any possibility of the handle becoming loosened relative to the metal portion of the hammer.

In order that the head of the screw 16 will not protrude above the upper surface of the member 15, I have countersunk the screw hole therein, as shown in Fig. 4, and which I have designated by the numeral 17.

A nail is pulled by the hammer in the usual manner of using the top of the hammer as a fulcrum point and swinging the handle 01' the hammer in an are away from the nail being pulled. As the nail starts to withdraw from the material in which it is lodged there will be no noticeable result from my invention for the reason that during this initial movement the claw members 12 and 13 will move almost outwardly parallel with the longitudinal axis of the nail and the nail will move in a comparatively straight line from its retaining bed. However, as the nail is further withdrawn the fulcrum point will continue to shift on my block member 15 until it reaches the rounded forward marginal edge of the same. As this fulcrum point moved away from the member 10, due to the inclined surface of the member 15 as the handle 14 was swung in an arc away from the nail, the hammer proper will be a considerable distance from the material in which the nail is embedded at the time the fulcrum point shifts to the forward marginal edge of the member 15. This means that although the claw members 12 and 13 moved away from the material in which the nail was embedded, they have moved in a more direct line away from the material in which the nail was embedded than would otherwise be the case if the block portion 15 did not exist. Another reason of the success of my invention is that the fulcrum point not only moved away from the member 10, but shifted forwardly toward the head portion 11 and away from the claw members 12 and 13, thereby creating a larger are which would be cut by the claw members 12 and 13 if the handle 14 was continued in its swinging movement away from the nail being pulled.

In the pulling of most nails it will be found that the ordinary nail will be completely withdrawn by the time the handle member 14 has been swung to a position transverse of the surface line of the material holding the nail, thereby making the nail easily pulled and eliminating any possibility of distorting the nail or damaging the material in which the nail resided.

For hammers already on the market, I furnish attachable and detachable blocks, as shown in Fig. 2 and. Fig. 4. When such blocks are used the screw 16 not only binds the handle 14 to the hammer portion proper, but also secures my invention in proper position to the hammer.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved nail pulling hammer without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination with a claw hammer having two nail engaging claws and a handle extending into the eye in the hammer head, a block member resting on the top of the hammer head and above said eye; said block having a flat surface substantially its entire top area, increasing in thickness as it progresses away from the nail en gaging claws and having a rounded forward upper marginal edge, serrations on the flat surface top of said block member, and a screw loosely extending through said block member and threaded into the handle extending into the eye of the hammer head.

2. In combination with a claw hammer having two nail engaging claws and a handle, a block member on the top of the hammer head; said block having a flat surface substantially its entire top area, increasing in thickness as it progresses away from the nail engaging claws and having a rounded forward upper marginal edge.

JOHN F. COWNIE. 

